Steam separator



Oct. 6,\ 1942. A WEGMANN 2,298,242

STEAM sEPARAToR Filed May 27, 1941 A7 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

,Q4 ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 6, 1942 STEAM SEPARATOR Adolph J. Wegmann, Flushing, N. Y., assignor to VDri-Steam Products, Inc., a corporation of Delaware Application May 27, 1941, Serial No.`395,367

11 Claims.

This invention relates to steam separators and more particularly to a separator structure for use in steam generating systems where it is desirable to remove large percentages of condensate as well as other substances forming or collecting in the system between the source of steam supply and the -point of use.

In steam power systems where two or more stages of turbines are used, it is common practise to use the exhaust steam from the high pressure turbine to operate a second turbine of lower pressure and the exhaust steam of the second turbine for a still lower pressure turbine. In some instances the exhaust steam from one turbine is passed through a reheater before it is used in the next lower pressure turbine. In many systems, such as in the case of marine power systems, the steam line from the reheater to the turbine may be as much as 50 to 60 ft. or more in length. In such systems and especially in those systems where short interruptions are required, such as during the maneuvering of a vessel, condensation tends to occur Vin the steam line and the condensate may so accumulate as to moisten the starting steam to a moisture content as high as 60% or higher. The presence of such a large amount of moisture in the starting steam for turbines not only aiects the efficiency of the turbine but is also detrimental to the blades of the turbine.

It is one of the objects of the present invention, therefore, to provide an improved separator structure adapted for use in steam lines and the like and having a large drying capacity capable of removing substantially all the moisture contained in very wet steam.

A further object of the invention is to provide a relatively simple separator construction which is easily assembled and in which parts can be replaced with a minimum of effort and expense.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a separator that may be installed in a steam generating system adjacent the place where the steam is to be used so that substantially all moisture or condensate and other separate accumulations oocurring in the steam line between the source of steam supply and the point of use are intercepted and removed regardless of the continuous or intermittent demand for steam by the turbine or other prime moving unit.

The above and additional objects will become more apparent when the following detailed description and the appended claims are read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in

which:

casing I0 and surrounding the outlet I2.

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional View of a separator constructed in accordance to the present invention, the section being taken substantially along line I-I of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional View taken substantially along line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of a steam power system showing an arrangement of the separator therein.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the separator is shown as comprising a substantially cylindrical enclosing casing I0 and a cover I6. The casing IU is provided with a centrally located steam outlet I2, a pair of tangential drain outlets I3 and I5, and an upper connecting flange I4. The cover I6 is provided with a centrally located steam inlet I8 and a connecting flange 25J. The ilanges I4 and 2U are provided with a series of openings through which bolts 22 are adapted to extend to secure the two parts together.

Mounted within the casing is a separator assembly which is adapted to subject the steam in its travel from the inlet I8 to the outlet I2 to a tortuous whirling movement involving a plurality of reversals so as to effect separation there,- from of `particles of moisture and other substances contained therein. 'Ihe separator assembly comprises a base member A, a top or bale member B andA a plurality of cylindrical steam battling and directing cylinders interposed therebetween.A

The base A comprises a tubular element 24, the lower end of which is adapted to be positioned on a shoulder '26 located in the lower end of the Secured to the tubular element 24 and surrounding the same is an annular disc or platform 28 to which an annular band 30 is secured adjacent the outer edge thereof. The band 30 extends downwardly therefrom and cooperates with the side wall 29 of the Casing I0 to provide a narrow annular passageway through whichl separate can pass to the drain outlets I3, I5. Mounted upon the platform 28 are a pair of short tubular elements 32 and 34 which are spaced apart and concentrically arranged with respect to the element 24 and to one another. 'I'he'upper parts of the tubular elements 24, 32 and 34 are provided with laterally extending projections 36, the purpose of which is hereinafter described. The platform 28 is provided with openings 40 and 42 through which separate may pass from the chambers formed by the tubular elements 24, 32 and 34.

The baille member B is conical in shape and is adapted to be disposed directly in line with the inlet |8. On the underside of the baille member B are a plurality of lugs or flanges 44, 45 and 46, which correspond in alignment with the tubular elements 24, 32 and 34. Interposed between the baille member B and the bottom member A are a plurality of cylindrical baille elements 58, 5| and 52. The bottom portion of each of the cylindrical baille elements is adapted to slidably t around the upper ends of the corresponding one of the tubular elements 24, 32 or 34 for support on the projections 36. The upper portions of the cylindrical baille elements are adapted to be engaged by the baille member B adjacent the depending lugs or ilanges 44, 45 and 46, respectively.

Secured to the outer edge of the conical bafile B and forming a continuation thereof is a cylindrical side wall 68. A spacer element 6| is secured to the bottom of the side wall 68 and supports an upwardly extending cylindrical wall 62 in concentric relation to the wall 68. The walls 68, 62 and the conical baille B provide with the casing I8 a steam receiving chamber 61 in communication with the inlet I8. The conical shape of the baille B spreads the incoming steam for ow downwardly intov the chamber 61.

The spacer element 6| is provided with a plurality of openings 64 which communicate with tubes 85 secured to the underside of the element. These tubes are adapted to extend through openings 86 contained in the platform 28 for the passage of condensate and other separate to the drains |3 and l5. The upper portion of the wall 62 is provided with projections 68 for positioning a cylindrical element 18 upon and in alignment with the upper edge of the wall 62. A cylindrical sleeve 72 is tted in the upper end of the casing I8 with its lower edge engaging the upper end of the cylindrical element 'I8 and its upper end engaged by the cover I6 when the cover and casing are assembled.

Ordinarily, in assembling the separator the bottom member A is first inserted into the casing 8 and the elements 58, 5| and 52 placed upon their respective supports. The baille member B together with the wall 68 and the associated elements 6|, 62 and 65 are lowered into the casing onto the upper edges of the cylindrical elements 58, 5| and 52. The element 18 and the sleeve 12 are then positioned on the Wall 62. Thus assembled, the cover |6 can be placed in position and bolted, the cover forcing the sleeve 'i2 and the element '|8 downwardly to hold the baille member B in coactive position relative to the cylinders 58, 5| and 52 and the base member A.

It will be understood, of course, that the separator elements can be assembled before they are inserted into the casing |8 should such procedure be desired. In such case it might be desirable to secure the baffle member B to the base A. This can be done by tack welding the tubes 65 to the platform 28. For subsequent inspection and replacement of one or more separator elements the tack welding can be easily broken and the member B removed lfrom the base A.

The cylindrical elements 5|, 52 and 18 are each provided with a plurality of parallelly arranged slots with the interconnecting parts so shaped as to provide blades to direct the passing steam downwardly along an opposed wall surface, and in one or the other circumferential direction about the axis of the assembly.

The slots and blades thus formed are preferably inclined at an angle to the vertical. Angles of 15 to 30 have been found to be satisfactory, but it will be understood that the blades may be disposed at other angles, if desired.

The angle and shape of the blades 88 of the cylinder 18 are such as to direct the steam from the chamber 8l obliquely downwardly and outwardly into chamber 82 against the opposed wall 28 and tlierealong in a clockwise swirl about the wall 62, as viewed in Fig. 2.

The steam from chamber 82 passes about the lower ends of the walls 62 and 68 yfor ow upwardly and clockwise through the annular chamber 83 formed by the wall 68, the cylindrical baffle 52 and the tubular member 34. The cylinder 52 is provided with two slotted portions 84 and 85, the blades of which are disposed at an angle to the vertical opposite to that of the blades 88 in cylinder 18. `The upward clockwise flow of the steam is thus reversed in passing through the bladed portions 84 and 85, the direction of flow of steam being changed to a downward and counterclockwise movement.

The cylinder 5| is also provided with two slotted portions 88 and 89 through which the steam is adapted to flow from the chamber 88, dened between the baffle 5| and 52, to a chamber 81. The slotted portions 88 and 89, however, are located above the slotted portions 84 and 85 and the blades thereof are disposed at an angle to the vertical opposite to the blades of the slotted portions 84 and 85. The steam thus directed downwardly and counterclockwise in the chamber 88 must be reversed into a iiow upwardly therein in order to reach the slotted portions 68 and 89. In passing through the slotted portions 88 and 89 the steam is again reversed for movement downwardly and clockwise within the chamber 81.

The steam passing through the slotted portions 88 and 89 is directed obliquely across a combing wall surface of the innermost cylinder which is provided with numerous small protruding nozzles 98, similarly as disclosed in United States Patent No. 2,149,626. The noz- Zles 98 function to subject the steam to a final and severe combing action before the steam is permitted to reach the outlet I2.

From the foregoing description of the separator it will be apparent that I have provided a separator structure which is adapted to subject the steam to a severe swirling treatment involving a plurality of reversals and a linal combing action. This insures that substantially all of the moisture contained in the steam, even when it comes to the separator in a very wet condition, is effectively separated therefrom.

Referring to Fig. 3 of the drawings, I have indicated diagrammatically a power unit of a type commonly used in marine power systems. As shown, the unit comprises a boiler |88 having a superheater |82 and a reheater |84. Steam from the superheater |82 is conducted through a steam line to a high pressure turbine |88. The eX- haust steam from the high pressure turbine is conveyed to the reheater |84 and thence through a steam line Il to the separator ||2 of the present invention located at the inlet to the intermediate pressure turbine 4. The exhaust steam from the intermediate pressure turbine is led to a low pressure turbine I6.

In systems of this character the steam line H8 is usually of such a length that during interruptions of power generation, which are sometimes frequent in maneuvering a vessel, condensate forms rapidly and collects in the steam line ||0.

into one of the chambers downwardly and in a. circumferential direction and the blades in thet other baille being oppositely inclined to direct the steam into another of said chambers downwardly' When steam is again fed to the turbine H4, the condensate is picked up by the steam and carried into the blades of the turbine. In high speed turbines, drops or minute particles of water have a decided wearing effect on the turbine blades and also materially reduce the efciency of the turbine. The introduction of my separator into the line Il adjacent the turbine H4 overcomes this diiculty.

I have discovered that when my steam 4and moisture separator is thus located at the inlet to the intermediate pressure turbine, substantially all of the moisture is removed from the steam, thus insuring substantially dry steam for the turbine regardless of interruptions in operation of the turbine. This efficiency of my separator in removing moisture and even slugs of water from the steam is rendered possible by the construction and arrangement of the plurality of cylindrical baille elements by which the steam is caused to undergo a tortuous swirling movement involving a plurality of reversals. Thus a turbine provided with a steam separator of the present invention is insured against the heretofore undesirable inclusion of a large percentage of moisture in the steam passed therethrough.

With diiferent arrangements of the relative positions of the various turbines to the boiler, superheating and reheating units, it may be desirable to locate the steam separator adjacent either the high or the low pressure turbine, or to provide separator units adjacent all or any two of the turbines.

While I have shown but one embodiment of the separator structure of my invention, I recognize that many variations and different embodiments are possible without departing from the spirit thereof, and also that the separator may be used in connection with various steam and gas systems. It is to be understood therefore that the form shown in the figures of the drawings is to be regarded as illustrative of the invention only and not in restriction thereof.

I claim:

l. A separator for steam and the like comprising a plurality of spaced apart baffles, at least two of said bales having parallelly aligned inclined slots with the material between slots shaped to form blades to direct steam passing through the slots obliquely against and along an opposed wall surface of an adjacent baille, and said two bailies having the slots thereof oppositely inclined so as to cause the passing steam to undergo sharp reversals in the direction of flow in passing through said separator.

2. A separator for steam and the like comprising a plurality of bailles spaced apart to provide a plurality of chambers, at least two of said bales being provided with parallelly aligned slots and another of said baiiies being provided with numerous small apertures, the slots of one of said two baffles being inclined in one direction to direct the passing steam obliquely into one of said chambers and the slots in the other of said two bafiies being inclined in the opposite direction t eifect a reversal in the flow of steam and at the same time direct the steam obliquely against and along the apertured surface of said another baille.

3. A separator for steam and the like comprising a plurality of annular baffles concentrically arranged and spaced apart to provide a plurality of chambers, at least two of said baffles being provided with slotted portions shaped to form blades therebetween, the blades of one of the baiiles being inclined to direct the passing steam and in the reverse circumferential direction, thereby causing the steam to undergo a swirling movement involving sharp reversals.

4. A separator for steam and the like comprising a casing having an inlet and an outlet for steam, a plurality of annular bailles spaced apart and disposed between the inlet and outlet to prov vide a plurality of chambers, a drain outlet at the bottom of the casing, the chamber between the two outermost baiiles being 4in steam receiving communication with the inlet at the top thereof and in communication with said drain outlet at the bottom thereof, the outer of said two baiiles having parallelly aligned inclined slots shaped to direct steam outwardly and downwardly in a circumferential direction against and 4along the opposed Wall surface of the casing, passage means below said steam receiving chamber through which the steam can flow to another of said chambers, and the baiiie deining the inner wall of said another chamber having parallelly aligned slots shaped and inclined in the opposite direction to the slots in said outer bailie to direct the steam in a reverse circumferential direction into still another of said chambers.

5. A separator for steam and the like comprising a casing having an inlet and an outlet for steam, a plurality of annular baiiies disposed in concentric spaced relation between the inlet and outlet to provide a plurality of chambers, at least three of said baffles having slotted portions shaped to form blades between the slots to effect sharp reversals in the movement of steam flowing through the separator, the bladed portion of one of the baflies being inclined to direct the steam from the Vinlet into one of said chambers in a downward spiraling movement, the bladed portion of the second bafile being oppositely inclined to direct the steam into another of said chambers in a reverse spiraling movement and the bladed portion of the third baiile being inclined similarly to the blades in said first cylinder to direct the steam into still another of Said chambers in a circumferential direction similar to the first spiraling movement.

6. A separator for steam and the like coniprising a plurality of annular baiiies disposed in spaced concentric relation to provide a plurality of chambers, at least two of said baffles being provided with slotted portions shaped to form parallelly inclined blades between the Slots to cause the passing steam to undergo sharp reversals in directions both vertically and spirally, and another of said baiiies being provided with numerous nozzles protruding from the surface of the baffle defining a wall disposed opposite onev `of said two baffles and in the path of the steam owing from the Slots thereof, whereby the steam is subjected to a severe combing action before leaving the separator.

7. A separator for steam and the like comprising a cylindrical enclosing casing having a steam inlet opening in the upper end thereof and a steam outlet in the lower end thereof, a separator assembly disposed within said casing comprising a conical baille member adapted to be disposed with the apex thereof in substantial alignment with said inlet opening to spread the steam substantially equally thereabout, a cylindrical wall extending downwardly from said baffle member short of the bottom of said casing, a,

baille having inclined blades to cause the spreading steam to spiral oircumferentially of said wall against and along the wall surface of said casing and then beneath said cylindrical wall and at least one additional bladed baille disposed in spaced concentric relation within said cylindrical wall to cause the steam to undergo a spiral movement in a different direction before reaching the outlet opening.

8. A separator for steam and the like comprising a cylindrical enclosing casing having a steam inlet opening in the upper end thereof and a steam outlet in the lower end thereof, a separator assembly disposed within said casing comprising a conical baille member adapted to be disposed with the apex thereof in substantial alignment with said inlet opening to spread the steam substantially equally thereabout, a cylindrical wall extending downwardly from said baille member short of the bottom of said casing, a baille having inclined blades to cause the spreading steam to spiral circumferentially of said wall against and along the wall surface of said casing and then beneath said cylindrical wall, and at least two additional bladed bales, disposed in spaced concentric relation within said cylindrical wall, the blades of said bailles being oppositely inclined to cause sharp reversals in the spiral flow of the steam before the steam reaches said outlet opening.

9. A separator for steam and the like comprising a cylindrical enclosing casing having a steam inlet opening in the upper end thereof and a steam outlet in the lower end thereof, an annular baille element disposed within and in spaced relation to the extended wall surface of the side wall of said casing, said baille element being provided with a series of parallelly aligned inclined slots adapted to direct steam passing therethrough outwardly against said extended wall surface for flow in a spiral path along said surface, a second annular baille element concentrically arranged within said first baille element and cooperating therewith to define a steam receiving chamber in communication with the steam inlet opening of said casing, a tubular element concentrically arranged within said second baille element, said tubular element communieating at its lower end with the steam outlet opening in said casing and carrying a steam separating element at its upper end, said separating element being positioned above the lower end of said steam receiving chamber, thereby insuring'that steam passing through said inclined slots and traveling downwardly along the wall surface of said casing is required to sharply reverse'its direction of flow in passing beneath said receiving chamber to and through said separating element to the steam outlet of said cas- 111g.

10. A separator for steam and the like comprising a casing divided into a part having a steam inlet and another part having a steam outlet, a separator assembly therefor comprising an outlet member having a plurality of spaced elements, a baille member having a hollow conical part with elements on the inner surface thereof corresponding to those of the outlet member, a plurality of bailles having steam passages therein adapted to be held in spaced relation by the elements of said outlet and baille members, and means associated with one of said members and engageable by at least one of the casing parts to hold the baille member, said baffles and said outlet member in coactive relationship with the conical part of the baille member spaced from and in substantial alignment with said steam inlet.

11. A separator for steam and the like comprising a casing divided into at least an upper part having a steam inlet and a bottom part having a steam outlet, a separator assembly therein comprising a base member having a plurality of upwardly extending elements, a conical baille member having depending elements corresponding to those of the base member, a plurality of bailles having steam passages therein adapted to be held in spaced relation by the elements of said base and baille members, said baille member having a downwardly extending side wall and an outer upwardly extending wall spaced from said side wall to provide a Steam receiving chamber therebetween, and means adapted to engage the upper edge portion of said outer wall to hold the conical baille member down on said bailles with the apex in substantial alignment with said inlet to spread the incoming steam thereabout, said means having a slotted portion shaped to direct the steam from the steam receiving chamber obliquely against an opposed wall of the casing for swirling movement downwardly about the said outer wall and into the separator assembly.

ADOLPH J. WEGMANN. 

